IAF loosing dominance over its own airspace to Army and Navy.

Recently Defence Minister A K Antony have asked Indian army to gear up to Induct more Attack helicopters, signalling an end to a tussle which has been growing for some time between Indian air force and India army on control of Attack helicopters .

Indian army which has Mil Mi-25/Mi-35 under its operational control but are piloted and administered by the Indian air force. even though purchase and even modernisation was paid from funds from Indian army, Army has little control of these assets.

Army Aviation Corps which turns 25 this year, has predominantly used HAL Chetak, HAL Cheetah and HAL Dhruv for logistical support for the Indian Army in remote and inaccessible areas, but also have shown keen interest in light combat helicopter (lch) currently developed by HAL, and also wants to operate 22 new attack helicopters which likely will be American Apache attack Helicopters.

Indian army has taken keen interest in LCH and deputed senior Army Aviation pilots in Bangalore for its Testing and many changes currently been carried out by HAL on LCH Prototypes are on direct feedback from Indian army test pilots .Army is more involved in the project then air force shows armies growing interest in aerial assets .

Army also has many plans that include operating its own fleet of Transport aircraft. Indian navy on other hand which had been given exemption and has been operating naval fighter jets , heavy anti submarine aircrafts and helicopters for the last few decades now, but only recent boost to its Fighter aircraft fleet was induction of Mig-29k and the bigger follow up order . It has key interest in MMRCA also, which likely will be purchase of Naval Rafale aircrafts.

Navy also has invested heavily on Naval LCA program and is keen to induct N-LCA MK-2 , as per sources Navy plans to operate 200 fighter jets in next few decades so it can be able to fight on its own , even without aerial support from air force against protection of its ships and naval docks against enemy attacks .

Border Security Force (BSF) recently evaluated two aircraft for the transport aircraft requirement; they are Alenia C-27J Spartan manufactured by Alenia Aeronautica and EADS CASA C-295. And they also operate Mil-17-V and Hal Dhruv Helicopter fleet of its own, it will be natural for Indian army to also demand its own fleet of Transport aircraft soon in near future.

Defence Experts blames lack of coordination between defence forces in sharing of air assets which is leading to this tussle among them, Indian army which has been granted permission to operate light and heavy attack helicopters, is also asking for permission to operate Heavy Logistic helicopters in class of Mil-26 and American Boeing CH-47 Chinook which are in race for a deal of 12 helicopters , which will be replacing older Mil-26 helicopters which are currently operated by Indian air force pilots , but were procured from the funds of Indian army .

Tussle also seems to highlight that other service forces donâ€™t want to depend on Indian air force when it comes to their own logistics or in aerial support of their men. This is a worrying signs for Indian air force which might lose further grounds in near future.

Indian Air Force must concentrate on Air Dominance rather than running logistics and taxi services for Army and Navy. Airforce buys assets in the name of Army but uses those assets themselves. That can not go on and on...